3 Essential ingredients for successful communities


Sometimes support looks like challenge

Hey Reader

We are in the golden age of community building.

Ironically, we are also presiding over time a time of great disconnection, uncertainty and contradiction.

Think about it: information is abundant, but wisdom is scarce. We have endless social platforms but few truly meaningful conversations. Work, life and relationships have gone digital, but a sense of belonging remains elusive.

And in the middle of all this is us, and our ongoing search for meaning. Our community support structures almost always appear to be the saving grace.

In the most recent Humble Mind podcast, I explored the three core elements that ensure a great community, sustaining deep, lasting engagement:

After years of research and experimentation (which has brought out fabulous community together!) I found it comes down to safety, growth and accountability.

There's a fuller discussion on all this here, but there's a cheat sheet below.

Also, if you're interested in learning more about this and deepening your own community building-skills, check out the Bootcamp here. More on that soon!


1) Safety and belonging

  • A true community is a network of trust
  • Many indigenous societies created rites of passage to ensure that once you belonged, you belonged for life
  • The most powerful communities create a space where people can express themselves, take risks and share ideas without fear of rejection.

2) Growth and learning

  • People stay in communities that make them better
  • We seek to learn, evolve and improve, and the best communities provide an environment where this happens naturally
  • When we surround ourselves with others who share our ambitions, their progress fuels our own (this is what drives social learning)

3) Accountability and support

  • Sometimes support looks like challenge
  • Whether it’s a coach, a mentor or a trusted peer, we all need others to keep us on track and hold us accountable when our own motivation fades
  • Sometimes the people who push us the hardest are the ones who believe in us the most. This is the foundation of trust, which is what transforms a group of people into a real community

Join the discussion on this here.

Enjoy the full podcast episode here:

show
#39 How to Start a Connected...
Mar 12 · Humble Mind
47:24
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Last week's full session replays

In this session, Karen Walch from the Social Intelligence Lab speaks with Sarah Schwab from the Social Intelligence Lab about the future of work, Generation Z talent, AI and the irreplaceable value of important adaptive skills.

A fantastic conversation which will take place with the tables turned again this week.

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By reframing life’s challenges through the lens of experimentation, iteration and adaptability, she encouraged us to step into the role of CEO of our own lives, learning to test, pivot and scale what truly resonates.

An excellent 'regrooving' session worth starting you week with!

Watch the full replay here.


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Have a challenging-but-supported week ahead,

Alex

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